A Man's Game No More | Teen Ink

A Man's Game No More

June 10, 2014
By Sarah Nuckel SILVER, Rye Brook, New York
Sarah Nuckel SILVER, Rye Brook, New York
6 articles 0 photos 0 comments

While watching the Emmys earlier in 2013, I found myself having trouble staying awake. Being a huge television fan I was disappointed in my difficulty to keep my eyes open. But who could blame me, it was a snoozer. In fact, after the Emmys wrapped up I could only recall a few highlights during the otherwise boring award show. I made the obvious realization that every exciting and hilarious moment happened when a woman was center spotlight.

The most talked about moment came from the dangerously funny duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The show was suddenly brought to life when the two started taunting host Neil Patrick Harris and asking him to twerk. They saved Harris (and the audience) from his unusual and down right boring opening monologue.

Another bit worth waking up for was when Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her Emmy for leading actress in a comedy series. Her brilliant acceptance speech in which she portrayed the character she plays on TV stole the show. Louis- Dreyfus swiftly stepped into her vice president character and was accompanied on stage by her on screen assistant Tony Hale. Hale casually whispered Louis -Dreyfus outrageously hysterical comments such as “thank your family” just as a good vice presidential assistant would do while she addressed the nation. Every other occurrence at the Emmys was pretty run of the mill.

Poehler and Fey did so well at the Emmys that before the night were up they were approached to host the 2014 Emmys. Ellen DeGeneres is already scheduled to host the Oscars in March.
After reflecting upon the Emmys and my personal favorite television shows at the moment I ask myself, is comedy now ruled by woman? It seems everywhere you look there is a funny lady on television. Whether it is Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Zooey Deschanel, Mindy Kaling, Ellen DeGeneres or Chelsea Handler it has become quite apparent that when it comes to comedy TV, women are here to stay.

Women’s domination in television isn’t just my opinion; four out of the six shows nominated for outstanding comedy series at the Emmys have a female lead. These shows being 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Girls and Veep starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, and Julia Louis- Dreyfus respectively.

Many of these hysterical shows with leading ladies are even written by the stars themselves. This is the case with The Mindy Project starring Mindy Kaling. The former annoying and obsessive H.R. rep fan favorite in The Office, who also was a writer and producer for the late great comedy, has gained success in her second season on the air. On The Mindy Project Kaling is the head writer and also stars as an OBGYN that is a unique and quirky flower among her unsuspecting and equally weird colleagues.

Kaling’s character Mindy Lahiri has already been dubbed one of the most quotable television characters of all time. Some gems Mindy’s mind has already produced are: “Maybe I won't get married, you know? Maybe I'll do one of those Eat, Pray, Love things. Ugh, no, I don't want to pray. Forget it, I'll just die alone.” And “I’m like the Joan Cusack of the romantic comedy of your life." Or even, “You are not Mindy, you’re a warrior, and your warrior name is… Beyonce Pad Thai.” These hilarious and extremely relatable quotes are the key to Mindy’s, and many other female comedy character’s, reliability.

There is not one woman in comedy that is depicted as a perfect drop-dead diva with a loving man by her side. None of the super women in comedy are characterized this way. They are all goofy, less than pure ladies that put their own spin on things. Making them the all too recognizable girl next door.

The world introduced a new age of comedy. An age where women aren’t the butt of the joke, but the ones delivering the punch line. Women are the future of comedy. They are happily marching their way into comedy history with every witty comment and immature joke.



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